Book Review: The Royals Upstairs by Karina Halle

The Royals Upstairs by Karina Halle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is my first time reading anything by Karina Halle and I'm so glad that I did. This book was SO GOOD and made me want to read more books by her and also read more books that are second-chance romances. I normally don't read contemporary romances because it's not my thing, but reading this one makes me want to read more, and also read second chance romances, especially if they're like this one.

James Hunter is a royal bodyguard who once had a relationship with the royal nanny, Laila Bruset, that they had to keep a secret. When they broke it off because of James's fear of being in a relationship, James thought that they'd never see each other again...until now, when they are working for Prince Magnus and watching over him and the children. James and Laila agree to keep it professional, but when they start catching feelings for one another, that's when things start to turn romantic.

I loved this relationship because James and Laila, along with the relationship of Prince Magnus and Princess Ella and their children, Bjorn and Tor, and Laila's grandmother made the book feel alive in ways that I'd never thought I'd like. It was funny and kept me up a couple of times reading how the two worked together to make sure that the kids were alright and make sure nothing happened to them while they went to Oslo to the museum or when they were with Magnus and Ella. I really enjoyed this book, I'm so glad that I read it, and now I need to read more Karina Halle books please and thank you.

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Book Review: The Crescent Moon Tearoom by Silvia Sivinski

The Crescent Moon Tearoom by Stacy Sivinski
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Crescent Moon Tearoom is a book like a warm hug from a friend. That is the only way I can describe the book and how cozy it was. I wanted to stay there and never ever leave, that's how good it was. I didn't mean to fall in love with the characters and the writing, and how much I found that I needed it. It was also witchy as well, which was something I really liked, along with the Quigley sisters finding their true calling--one becoming a part of the circus, one becoming an author, and the last one becoming a Diviner of the City.

I felt like I wanted to drink all of the tea that was featured in the book, and also wished I could read tea leaves, but eh, I'll be fine without it. I also wished I could live in the tearoom with the sisters as they figured out the tasks the three witches needed so they could do it. I liked how they used different types of seeing magic to see which one it was that they had to go do, while at the same time the Council was pushing them to do their own thing in the background.

I forgot the sisters' names (my bad) but I still enjoyed reading them going their separate ways while the other sister wanted them together because of a curse. But it turns out their mother was haunting them and wanting them to be happy instead of being in that house alone together, running their tea shop. But it does turn out that one of the sisters's powers was growing and they became the Diviner of the City after the other Diviner stepped down, and the other two did their own thing. To me, it means that they're still family, but they're moving on to bigger and better things.

I also like the house in the book too, feeling almost realistic to the sisters and to me as I kept on reading. I wanted to live in the house too.

All in all, a really good cozy book that was very fun indeed.

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Book Review: A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang

A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The first time I read this book, I didn't review it because life happened.

I reread it this time, and I still loved it so much.

This is a retelling of Xishi and how she brought a kingdom and a king down using her charms, wit, and bravery, even when she thought she failed to do so. I liked that she fell for both men but tried to stay loyal to her country of Yue. But falling for a king who immediately gets obsessive with her and pretty much does everything she wants without a care in the world? Not listen to his advisors about what the other side is doing and only wants peace, and gets upset when he's either reminded of his father and how his father hated the Yue Kingdom and wanted it to fall.

But as soon as Xishi came in the court, that's when he fell head over heels for her, and he does everything in the beginning to get her to be with him, and she refuses his advances until he finally comes around and finds out why. Xishi does use her wound she got when she was coming to the Wu Kingdom to get him to come to her, and once he finds out that she lived terribly, that's when everything changed for Xishi and wrapping the king around her finger? Easy like Sunday Morning.

This book was really good and very slow in the beginning, but when it picks up in the middle, it picks up. The book goes on to show how war can affect people, and the ending shows the painful reasons to never trust someone. This book felt like a good C-Drama you just wanna watch over and over again until the end, when you see the minister live on without her until the end.

I will reread this book over and over again because it was that good and I enjoyed myself reading this book.

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Book Review: Sweet Sin by Sav R. Miller

Sweet Sin by Sav R. Miller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Finally doing a review for this novella, and I have to say...

I'm sat.

Now, normally, I don't read books like that AT ALL. But ever since I read Hooked, I've had this weird itch to actually try and find some dark romances that are just like Hooked, but I stopped because I felt like no one could grab my attention like Hook did.

Until Kal.

Kal pushed Hook to the side, grabbed my hand, and said, "Hold tight, sweetheart. I know you're scared right now, but it's okay. I got you. Let me walk you through my madness." and boy howdy, did he walk me through it. I sometimes had to go, "Yous dis crazy my boy?" while reading this book, and he looked me DEAD in my eyes and said, "Yup." and once the novella was over, I sat, I was on my little ol' knees, and I wanted MORE of Kal. I fell in LOVE with this man, and I'm glad to read this novella, because now I want to read the book and enjoy him.

Even though I liked Elena as well, I didn't like the fiancé she was with. I really wanted Kal to kill him because he put his hands on her, but for some reason, he left and never dealt with her after their spicy, forbidden encounter, and she now has to deal with it before the book even starts, and now I'm curious now about where Kal was and is he ever gonna show up in Boston again. I need to know this because he just up and left without even telling her.

This is my favorite novella of all time and I'm glad that I read it.

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